“You're a household name, a superstar through and through. My mistake, a Collins never falls far from the tree - Romeo here's
proof of that, all charm and charisma, hahaha.”
At that moment, Kenneth glanced at his watch, “Make yourselves comfortable. Today marks Bella's first year with us. I've got to
whip up something special.”
“Dad, please, let Bella spend a nice New Year here. Your skills...” David interjected with a grimace, “And Mom, let's not turn this
evening into an episode of ‘Kitchen Nightmares,” okay?”
It was a big holiday, and a trip to the ER was the last thing they needed.
“Right, right, lethandle it. | want to create a memorable and wonderful evening for Bella,” Cornelia said while standing up.
“If Cornelia’s cooking, then I've got to show my skills too,” Belinda announced, rising from her seat.
“No, no, you sit down and relax. I'll do a couple of dishes - one representing your good intentions, and one with my personal
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇttouch,” Darren said to his wife.
Arabella wanted to tell everyone not to fuss, but before she could get a word out, they all marched into the kitchen, determined to
impress her. Her brothers, not to be outdone, followed suit.
Both kitchen were bustling with activity. In the end, the only ones left idle were Arabella, Romeo, and Alma.
Sensing the tension, Alma volunteered, “I'll go check if they need any help.”
“I'd like to make something for you too,” Romeo said gently.
“It's not necessary. We'll have too much food as it is.”
“I'll make two dishes.” Romeo caressed her cheek, “They'll be your favorites.”
He kept the details a mystery.
The six massive fridges at Reflections Villa were stocked with every ingredient imaginable. If anything was missing, David would
take his sister to the property's kitchen garden for sfresh picking.
“Sis, do you like cabbage?” David asked as he noticed the robust heads of cabbage in the garden.
“Sure, anything's fine.”
“I'll pick sextra. Let's see what the others whip up for you,” David gathered a hefty assortment of veggies, even taking the
ones Arabella had picked, adding them to his basket. He didn’t forget to snap a selfie and post it on Facebook.
[Picking veggies with my sister. Everyone's trying to impress her with their cooking. What should | make to outshine them all?
Suggestions welcome!]
The photo captured him holding a large wicker basket, selfie stick in hand, with the lush garden and the silhouette of his sister,
busy picking vegetables, in the background.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Within a minute of posting, the selfie amassed thousands of likes and countless comments offering suggestions.
One comment sparked an idea in David. Yes, he'd create an artistic dish - broccoli fashioned into a tree of prosperity, garnished
with colorful minced bell pepper, both appealing and simple, with a meaningful message.
It symbolized growth, wealth, and abundance.
An hour later, the dining table was laden with delectable dishes.
Arabella wasn’t idle either, preparing a visually stunning centerpiece.
“Bella, con over. Stop fussing in the kitchen.”
Everyone was eager to explain their culinary creations to Arabella, each dish with its own special significance.
“Bella, | made this dish called ‘Thrivingness'. It's to wish you an ever-rising fortune and better days ahead,” Bernard explained.
“Nice!!” A round of applause filled the room.